It seemed the Bears starting left tackle position was J'Marcus Webb's to lose in the finals days before the first preseason game with Denver. 

Webb has apparently done a good job of losing it, because on Saturday when the team returned to practice after Thursday's 31-3 loss to the Broncos, Webb found himself splitting time at starting left tackle with Chris Williams. 

"We had a chance to see guys in certain situations from the game, and we'll continue to look at different people," coach Lovie Smith said. 

Webb gave up a sack and got a motion penalty. He struggled enough that he was left on the field to play the position into the early fourth quarter with all the reserves. 

Asked if the left tackle spot was now open again, Smith would only say, "All jobs are open."

A week before the game, offensive coordinator Mike Tice had said Webb would be the left tackle and Williams was moved to right tackle to split time with Gabe Carimi before settling in with backups.

Tice was unavailable to the media on Saturday. The Bears are making assistant coaches available to the media only one day a week. Tice is expected to talk Monday.

Webbb said he didn't look at the extended playing time as punishment.

"I think of it as a time to get better," he said. "I am a young player and if the team needs me to stay in, I will."

Webb thought his inability to work with the other linemen may have been his biggest problem.

"I have to get better with knowing situations and get better with the camaraderie with my fellow linemen," he said.

Williams has been moving back and forth between left and right tackle, and is starting to get used to all the switching.

"It’s O-line man, just hands and feet so, just go out and work," he said. "It’ll work itself out."

The film session for offensive linemen after the game wasn't exactly fun. When the team has only six fewer penalty yards (35) in the first half than it has offensive yards (41), that's to be expected.

"I think the biggest thing is they just wanted us to be more physical, just coming out a little more physical," Carimi said.

Carimi may have been the only bright spot in the O-line play. A few of the Broncos complimented him during the post-game interview sessions. It was his first really live play since a Week 2 knee injury against New Orleans last year.

"I was kind of cautious the first couple snaps," he said. "But after hte first two series I felt really confident and started getting more aggressive."


Follow Bears reporter Gene Chamberlain on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLCHI.